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Post by UpInClass on Mar 30, 2018 9:18:36 GMT -5
March 30, 1970 is the day the great Secretariat was born...  |
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Post by triguy237 on Apr 7, 2018 0:58:07 GMT -5
Seeing his lifetime PPs makes you realize you incredible he was.
I remember watching him on TV and rooting for him in the Belmont....not that he needed any rooting.
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shoes
UpInClass Steward
Posts: 2,387
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Post by shoes on Apr 7, 2018 8:22:53 GMT -5
I know this is heresy, but contrarian that I am, I would note that he never carried more than 126, he was favored in 20 of 21 career starts (1.5-1 in the other), his average field size was 7.5 and he won 16 of 21, losing 5 times. It is not his fault that bettors made him the favorite or that trainers dodged him. If he had raced as a 4 year old he would had to carry more weight and he may well have had a spectacular year (Spectacular Bid style), but we will never know. At his best (the Belmont) no one would beat him, but he never had to face some of the challenges that so many of the great handicap horses did. It ll depends on your criteria but for his body of work, I do not place him as the greatest race horse ever.
Which naturally raises the question who is IMO? I have no clear choice but I would consider Forego (whom Secretariat beat in his Derby), Kelso, and Spectacular Bid among those in my lifetime of watching. I also have much respect for those before my time, Native Dancer, Man o War, Citation, to name just 3. I place the great turf horses in a different category.
OK, I'll wait for the arrows.
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1hooper
UpInClass Steward
Posts: 7,455
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Post by 1hooper on Apr 7, 2018 13:04:26 GMT -5
I think to be fair you should only compare those mentioned at 2 and 3yo. Big Red was retired early for estate tax reasons.
Hooper
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